Trying to support the Exercise is Medicine Initiative through innovative education, training and certification of fitness professionals in Europe. An oral presentation at the best event for exercise prescription in chronic diseases (May 6-8, Madrid, Spain).

Check out my new article in the latest issue of the NSCA's Personal Training Quarterly (PTQ) regarding the personal trainer's role in metabolic disorders as part of a multidisciplinary team against the most prevalent chronic diseases worldwide nowadays.

Alexis Batrakoulis, PhD(c), MSc, CSCS, RCPT*E; ACSM–EP, CPT, EIM2; NASM-CES, PES, WMS; ACE-CPT, CHC, has been involved in the fitness industry since 1995 and currently works as an educator, speaker, author, technical expert and exercise for health specialist in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the USA. He is the Personal Training Education Director at the Greek Athletic & Fitness Training School (GRAFTS), which is an internationally accredited vocational training provider and the national leader in fitness certifications in Greece. He holds a BS in Physical Education and Sports Science with an emphasis on Fitness, an MS in Exercise and Health with an emphasis on Exercise and Obesity, and is preparing to earn a PhD in Exercise and Health. He has also earned numerous professional credentials through ACE, ACSM, NASM, and NSCA. Batrakoulis is a Subject Matter Expert and an International Master Trainer at the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and is also a member of the Brussels–based Professional Standards Committee of EuropeActive, which leads the development of educational standards, oversees the accreditation process for all courses, and registers qualified exercise professionals for all occupational roles in the European fitness sector. More specifically, he has respectively led and contributed to the Technical Experts Groups that developed standards for the occupational roles of Weight Management Exercise Specialist and Pre/Diabetes Exercise Specialist in Europe. His live workshop "Exercise for Overweight and Obesity: Bridging Theory and Practice" is approved by ACE, ACSM, AFAA, NASM, NSCA, ISSA, IFPA, PTA Global, CanFitPro, Fitness Australia, REPs UK, and EuropeActive/EREPs as a continuing education course for fitness professionals around the globe. Additionally, he serves as a Member of the Exercise is Medicine (EIM) Credential Committee for the ACSM and recently received recognition as a finalist for the 2017 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year Award. Lastly, he is the General Secretary of the Hellenic Exercise Professionals Association (HEPA) and a Practitioners’ Section Editor of the European Journal for Exercise Professionals (EJEP).